Chapter 284: The bad relative.
The music shifted, softer now, and couples began to drift onto the polished floor. Lanterns swayed gently overhead, casting ripples across the hall. Elias approached Sienna’s table, bowing to the ladies with a sly smile.
"Sienna," he said, voice as smooth as velvet, "would you honor me with a dance?"
The queen excused herself, murmuring something about a call she needed to make, and skipped away. Princess Lina waved at Miro, and left, with a sly smile of her own. The son of the bear lord walked over to invite Cyra for a dance and Mija set her eyes on Wayo, rushing away with a smile slyer than Elias’s.
Left alone, Sienna could not hesitate. She rose, accepting the hand that he offered, and together, they stepped into the swirl of dancers.
The orchestra struck up a lifting tunes, strings weaving with the low hum of beast horns. Sienna felt Elias’s hand steady at her waist, guiding her with practiced ease. His movements were sharp, yet graceful, a predator’s rhythm softened by ceremony. She tried to match him, her steps firm, her gaze unwavering.
It was not surprising that there were many eyes on them, as the couple was rarely seen together in public. Until now, there were many people that believed their relationship was nothing more than a well crafted show forced by the bond of children.
"You dance well," he murmured, eyes glinting. "I expected you to resist."
Sienna smirked. "I was a dancer...." she stopped and laughed, "well, this body belongs to a dancer. It is hard to resist something that comes so naturally to it."
Her movements were rather professional, in comparison to most of the people around them. And those people were whispering. A pair of wolf nobles spun too quickly in a bid to get near them and they collided with a monkey couple. Laughter rippled through the crowd.
The white tiger lord dipped his wife so low her jeweled hair brushed the floor, earning gaps and applause. Sienna almost let go of Elias so that she could applaud as well. The white tiger lord and his wife were the most eye catching couple on the dance floor.
"You have been busy lately," Elias pulled her closer to his body, demanding her full attention. "Your office, feuds, learning how to manage the family from my grandmother. Do you ever rest?"
Her lips curved. "I take afternoon naps. I also work four days a week, so I can’t complain. If this reached the ears of other ordinary workers, they would hate me so much that they would revolt."
He chuckled, leaning closer. "I think a lazy personality suits you. But cramming so much work into a few hours to get three days off is not a solution either. You have mental strength, so you should take care of yourself."
Sienna tilted her head, studying him. "And what about you? You work harder than me. I heard you turned down the position of Prime Envoy."
His smile faltered, just for a heartbeat. "Those damn royals can’t keep a thing to themselves. Did you hear about it from Lina the chatterbox or the queen, your rumored best friend?" He spun her, the lantern light catching the slight red of his eyes.
She laughed. "Lina does not share useful gossip, only scandals. You are right, I heard it from my bestie, the queen. She also offered me the position."
He nearly crushed her toes with his feet. "What?"
She laughed. "I turned her down. I don’t want to work as if I am in survival mode by taking on too many jobs. However, I recommended Uncle Jorik for the job. My maternal family is lacking a strong background and constantly under threat of Paris’s past. I think this could change things for us."
They passed bear another couple, a tiger elder whispering to his wife. "Look at the them," he said, nodding toward Sienna and Elias. "Such poise. Perhaps they should lead the next dance. They are the current heads of the fox clan after all. I heard that if Vera wants to live well in the Veythar family, she needs to kiss Sienna’s ring."
Sienna caught the words, but pretended not to.
Elias leaned in again, voice low. "I will be happy for uncle Jorik, if he gets the job. As long as its not Christo, all is well. You should prepare yourself to deal with Numia because she will be insufferable. She is the bad relative in your bunch and could be the one that brings down your uncle the way Danny brought down the Risser’s."
Sienna grimaced. "Damn it! Maybe we should forget it. I will recommenced someone else to the queen."
Suddenly, Elias asked her another question, unrelated to the Prime Envoy topic. "Do you ever wonder what people say about us?"
She laughed softly. "Constantly. But I rarely care."
"When will you stop tormenting my mother?" He asked.
She did not answer immediately. Their steps carried them across the floor, weaving between dancers until they found themselves next to Princess Lina and Miro.
Even while she danced, the princess was talking so loudly her words carried over the music. "You are stepping wrong! No, not like that, follow my lead. For crying out loud, are all fox beast men born blind like you!"
Miro’s ears flattened, but he endured.
"How does she have a man that is willing to marry her?" Sienna hissed to Elias, as they exchanged amused glances.
His grin was as clear as the stars in the sky. "I have met the princess’s betrothed. He is actually hard of hearing in both ears and incredibly patient." He twirled her again, continuing, "You see, my dear, patience is the rarest skill."
She sneered lightly, "You are speaking like a man with experience."
His grin returned. "I am married to you. Do I have a choice?"
The song swelled, and he lifted her into a brief spin, her gown flaring like a comet. Applause rose from nearby tables. Sienna felt a rare lightness, forgetting that they were not main celebrants of the day. For a moment, it was only the dance, the music, and Elias’s steady presence.
As the final notes faded, they bowed to each other. Sienna returned to her table, cheeks flushed, while Elias slipped back to his grandfather’s side, where their children were sitting with other fox cubs.
The other ladies returned, one by one. Last was the queen, whose expression was triumphant.
"It’s done," she declared, settling into her seat. "The Prime Envoy position will go to your uncle. The king convened a meeting with his top advisors five minutes ago, and they were all in support of the idea. Of course, they are all counting on you and Elias pitching in."
Sienna blinked. "Already?" Was it too late to change the decision? She had not even asked her uncle about it!! What if he was not interested?
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